


Snow Globe City

by orphan_account



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Snow Days, its okay, not plot only fluff, wooing doesn't go as planned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 14:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18153314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Gladio asks Ignis on a date--and then a blizzard comes to Insomnia.





	Snow Globe City

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [DarkLordMeggy](https://twitter.com/DarkLordMeggy) as part of the FFXV Valentine's Exchange! Hope you enjoy~

The package had arrived sometime in the morning, wrapped in brown paper that maybe was once crisp but was now slightly rumpled after passing through dozens of hands during its journey to Amicitia Manor. Someone, probably Jared, had placed it in easy view in the entrance hall, beside an antique lamp. The soft golden light shone on it, a spotlight, making it impossible to miss.

There was no return address but Gladio recognized the elegant script carefully spelling out his own name, and he wasn’t too proud to deny that his heart fluttered a beat or two as he carried the package up to his room.

Once there, Gladio’s fingers, calloused and tired from a day’s training, hesitated and ran along the curves that made up his name in hairline pen strokes. His heart picked up again and he turned the package over, finding the seam of the wrapping paper.

Gladio looked up at his window, eastward--where beyond the steel city and shimmering wall, lay a vast ocean and, somewhere beyond _that_ , a city filled with canals and flowers…

The paper tore easily, surrendering in Gladio’s hands and revealing a plain cardboard box--impatience mixed with a small degree of amusement had Gladio rolling his eyes and summoning a small blade but once he’d cut in and ripped away the packing tape he found a small red box nestled amongst black tissue.

Something rattled inside the box, and Gladio would have opened it immediately, if not for the little black card tucked into the tissue as well.

_The best chocolate in Eos calls Altissia home; it would be a crime not to share some with you this Valentine’s Day -- I. S.~_

Intrigue nudged at Gladio to open the box and test that claim but his eyes stayed locked on the gold ink of I. S.--and his lips curled into a smile, slow at first and then barely contained.

Ignis, from all the way in Altissia and between the rigors of his international relations exchange, had actually bothered to sent Gladio a Valentine’s gift. Had actually thought to...

The box--the _chocolate_ box--slid open easily, the rattling from inside materializing into beautiful, richly colored chocolates. No brand label was embossed on the box, not even in the cups cradling the chocolates which meant--it was Ignis, so it wasn’t a exactly a stretch but…

Homemade.

Gladio looked east again, smile softer. Longing.

One more month...

 

* * *

 

The thing was...Gladio wasn’t dating Ignis. Hadn’t gone on a single date with the guy and hadn’t the courage to even _ask_ , although it always seemed on the tip of his tongue--and then Ignis had been accepted into the international relations program and it’d just seemed bad timing to form a crush when he’d be leaving for three months…

The _problem_ , the thing that kept Gladio from wallowing in said crush for the first two months was that the chocolates weren’t exactly a unique gift for Gladio’s pleasure only.

Noctis (and Iris, and probably Prompto) had received the same ones, red box and all, which Gladio had spied during a visit. He didn’t comment on them but he did eye the note-- “ _try not to eat these all in one sitting_ ”--and snorted, almost hearing the dryness of Ignis’s words ring out in the kitchen.

One more month...plenty of time for that crush to flare and for Gladio to eat those chocolates one by one and imagine what it’d be like to have Ignis be there again. Not just in each other’s orbits as Noctis’s retainers but _with_ each other. Where they could settle into Ignis’s apartment after a day’s work and prepare dinner and catch up over a glass of wine and a movie neither of them paid attention to…

One month of stewing, until he wondered just what the hell he was waiting for.

Three days until Ignis was due to return, Gladio messaged him: _T_ _riumphant return almost here--how about dinner?_

The confident reply came within the hour: _Pick me up at 7_.

Three days...three days to do something about the drumming of his heart as Gladio shoved his phone back into his pocket.

 

* * *

 

Three days…

...and then Gladio woke, his body buzzing in excitement, as if it could already sense Ignis in transit, drawing closer and closer as the minutes ticked by.

Just a few more hours...

The weather didn’t share the same sentiment. Rain, a heavy downpour, had overtaken Insomnia the previous night, with promises of a rare snowstorm that evening. Gladio scoffed at the report when he’d read it.

Snow in March, in Insomnia--fat chance any of it would stick. The Citadel still hummed with anticipation, weather and security updates clogging the notifications on his phone.

Gladio was mid stretch, muscles pulling deliciously as he leaned his body forward and tried to focus on his upcoming session with Noctis and _not_ the fact he'd see Ignis again soon, when Noctis himself burst into the training hall.

“You see it yet?” There was something disbelieving in Noctis’s voice as he dropped to the mat beside Gladio.

“See what,” Gladio grunted back but his stomach dropped a bit in knowing dread.

“Wouldn’t exactly call it snow,” Noctis replied, gaze still directed upward, like he still saw whatever the sky was doing, “but it’s definitely something. Slush, I guess.” And then his brow furrowed and he looked over at Gladio. “Ignis is coming back today--you think the snow will mess with that?”

Gladio stared at the black exercise mat, as if it were responsible, and tried to hold back his sigh and the worry festering low in his stomach. “Better not,” he said a few moments later and did not answer Noctis’s curious look.

 

* * *

 

Noctis was right: the snow was definitely _something_.

Sometime when Gladio wasn’t looking, when he’d been stuck inside with training and meetings, the incessant rain had turned to slush; the evidence of it squashed under Gladio’s boots as he crossed through a Citadel courtyard.

But sometime after _that_ , the slush had solidified, becoming fat wads of white flakes that fell in a thick curtain and settled in clumps over the slush.

Gladio barely felt the flakes brushing against his face like feathers before melting in steady trickle. It didn't cool his rising annoyance. _Somehow_ the snow had already managed to gather over the toes of his boots and there seemed no sign in it letting up.

Fucking _perfect_.

 

* * *

 

The restaurant, the one Gladio had decided on after _hours_ of researching other choices, called first, just a few hours later, when the snow had managed a good four inches and effectively shut down the city.

“We’re terribly sorry,” a voice, sounding genuinely so, spoke into Gladio’s ear, “but we must place the safety of our staff first…”

“Yeah,” Gladio sighed as he stood in an empty Citadel conference room, staring down at the white blanketed city far below. “I understand.”

The message from Ignis came shortly after, when Gladio had submitted his daily reports, repacked his training bag and was considering a back up plan.

_I’m afraid tonight will have to be postponed--thanks to the storm, we’ve not even reached the city limits._

_Not a problem_ , Gladio texted back, _restaurant’s already canceled_.

 _Triumphant return, indeed_ , Ignis replied, followed by three dots appearing and disappearing. Gladio stared down his phone screen the entire time, waiting and waiting in the middle of a gloomy gray corridor just off the Citadel parking garage until: _Shame, I was looking forward to tonight_.

Yeah, Gladio chewed at his lip, trying not to feel as gray as the concrete around him. So was he.

_Let me know when you get home. Safe travels._

 

* * *

 

A hush had descended over Insomnia as it accepted it’s defeat to the snow and even in his room, Gladio felt it. Where normally there was an ambient hum of traffic and life outside his window, there was nothing.

Gladio lay on his bed, book long abandoned and resting on a thigh. He listened to that silence and let his mind fill the blanks: now, an hour ago, he and Ignis would have been seated at the restaurant. He could have seen candlelight reflected in Ignis’s green eyes, could have relished the goosebumps at Ignis’s laugh floating over clinking wine glasses...

The problem with melancholy was that, once tasted, Gladio could never easily toss it away. Maybe that was his burden as a romantic; maybe he put too much stock in his daydreams...Like he set himself up to be disappointed because reality could never match something so idyllic...

Gladio’s phone buzzed-- _finally home_

It was the lack of grammar that had Gladio look up, through his window where the shadow of snow fell, and imagine Ignis in his apartment, bone tired from his day of travel but still--he had texted Gladio.

His phone buzzed again and again...and again, one message after another, and Gladio almost fumbled it in his haste to read them.

_I apologize if this is odd, but…_

_I find myself restless after today._

_Would you care for a walk?_

The world paused and then flicked with...something. Gladio had read enough trashy romance novels in his life to know-- _don’t fuck this up_.

 _On my way_ , he messaged back, the book on his lap falling to the floor with a smack of paper as he sprang from his bed.

 

* * *

 

Insomnia seemed deserted, the streets empty and devoid of life, cars parked with a foot of snow piled high. Street lights reflected off the white snow, bathing everything in gold that was softened, cocooned, by the night’s shadow.

Ignis’s street was as quiet as Gladio’s; tranquil, once he cut the engine to his Crownsguard vehicle (bulletproof but also four wheel drive, thank the Astrals).

Cold air rushed at Gladio when he opened the door and he could hear the delicate touch of snowflakes falling into place. Footprints still carved a path to the building’s stoop, some old and dulled around the edges but one track stood out, fresh and sharp: Ignis.

The snow was still falling heavy and thick, and Gladio walked with his head down and hands shoved deep in his pockets as he crossed the street. Somewhere ahead, he heard a door creak open and then close. Smooth brick steps appeared and he looked up and up and--took a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Ignis.

There. He was there, staring down at Gladio with exhausted but fond eyes. His hair was as golden as the street lights but his face--a sheepish smile graced his mouth. He turned away, to lock the door behind him, but then he was descending, his footsteps muffled in the snow.

Somehow, even though it was approximately freezing out here, Gladio’s hands were moist, his face a burning flush, by the time Ignis stood side by side with him. His hands twitched, wanting to brush the flakes clinging to Ignis’s unstyled hair and he opened his mouth to...what did he say?

“Hey,” fell out of his mouth. He tried not to cringe.

“Hello,” Ignis replied.

And then neither of them said anything; Gladio could only stare because Ignis, cheeks flushed with the cold and standing in front of him in their snow globe of a city was probably the loveliest goddamn thing he’d ever seen in his life.

“Shall we?” Ignis eventually said, gesturing along the sidewalk, toward where Gladio knew was a park just a block away.

Gladio’s heart was a thunderous roar in his ears at being with Ignis after three months of long distance pining but somehow he managed one foot in front of the other _and_ a conversation about Ignis’s travels. It was mundane--but Gladio hung onto every word as they reached the end of the block, and then crossed to the park entrance.

“To think,” Ignis said as they strolled, slower now that there was no trekked path for them to follow. “Just last night I was sipping wine at a corner bistro, watching a golden sunset.”

Gladio smiled and tried to imagine being there, in the seat beside Ignis’s. “And now you’re in golden snow.”

“I am.” Ignis inclined his head toward Gladio in thought, just an inch, and then he turned away, smile going coy. “Though I must confess, I wasn’t entirely present at that dinner.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm. I was thinking about tonight. Running logistics.”

Gladio blinked, unsure if...was that flirting? It was Ignis, it could easily go either away and while his heart leapt, he forced his face to stay neutral. “Sounds...thrilling.”

“Stressful, more like. Hardly slept a wink.” But Ignis seemed amused with himself as he shook his head. “All I could think was--what time would we depart? Transit papers in order, clothes packed? When would we arrive in the city? Should I check in with Noctis or go straight into a shower? What would I wear? What would _you_ wear?”

“Sounds like…” Gladio coughed, trying not to laugh.

“It sounds like I’m a teenage boy going on his first date.” Ignis sniffed, as if offended by himself.

Gladio stopped walking, just as they reached a large ginkgo tree that was maybe, yesterday, budding with leaves but whose branches were now caked with clinging snow. It was clearer under those branches, like the eye of a hurricane, and dramatic beams of light filtered through them; Gladio got his first good look at Ignis.

“All that...and this is what you chose to wear?” As if dark washed jeans and a creamy cable knit sweater beneath a wool peacoat deserved a sneer.

“Spare me your judgement,” came the dry reply, “it’s been a very long day.”

“You look amazing.” Ignis dipped his head, looking pleased. Demure. That alone made Gladio take a step forward, feeling slightly light headed as he did. “Thanks for asking to meet me. Honestly I thought...I thought today would go easier.”

Ignis wasn’t coy now; he took his own step forward and looked straight up at Gladio, green eyes clear through the flash of his glasses. “And how would you have preferred tonight to go?”

Gladio’s body practically vibrated at how close Ignis was--he could smell his cologne, a sort of citrus winter, like the snow around them. It took all of his self control to keep his hands to his side, savor this moment of Ignis with his flushed cheeks and snow dusting his ash hair.

“I think you know.” And Astrals, Gladio looked down at Ignis’s lips...and licked his own in anticipation. “Wine and dine, city lights, stunning eloquence on my side...a stroll like this, but definitely with less snow.”

“I think the snow lends a certain...romantic atmosphere,” Ignis replied, also  _not_ looking at Gladio but lower...his lips parted slightly…

“Yeah?” Gladio’s voice dropped to a whisper. Somehow, they now stood chest to chest. Ignis’s gloved hand had fallen from his pocket and hung at his side; Gladio absentmindedly took it, hooked three fingers through Ignis’s. “Did I successfully woo you?”

A sigh, a crunch of snow and a rustling of coats, of gloves--and then Ignis’s lips were on his own and Gladio could have melted into the ground right there, almost did when Ignis’s other hand found his waist and pressed closer.

“Months ago,” Ignis sighed, when they broke away.

And then he shivered and Gladio blinked, the world--the _blizzard_ \--coming back into reality around them. He broke out into a delighted smile as Ignis still clung to him.

“Back to yours to warm up?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://tsukibeamfics.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tsukibeam)!


End file.
